I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for MedImmune. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
Babies truly are the most precious gift from God. It is ingrained in our minds that we should do all we can to keep them healthy and growing strong everyday. I know when I was pregnant with my kids, I did all I could to make sure I was eating the right foods, getting enough sleep, and taking my vitamins. I got regular checkups with my doctor to make sure that baby was growing.
Thankfully my kids were born at just at and just before 40 weeks. They were strong and healthy. But there are so many babies now that are born prematurely. Being born early puts them at much higher risk for infections and other diseases that may not bother other kids who are born full term. One of those risks is RSV.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common seasonal virus, contracted by nearly all children by the age of two, and typically causes mild to moderate cold-like symptoms in healthy, full-term babies. Preterm infants, however, are born with undeveloped lungs and immature immune systems that put them at heightened risk for developing severe RSV disease, often requiring hospitalization.
Most babies who come down with RSV are thought to only have the common cold like symptoms, but those babies who are born premature are at higher risk of it being serious and possibly causing hospitalization. November through March are the key times in the year to be vigilant.
Ways to prevent RSV is good washing of hands, toys, and anything your baby comes in contact with on a daily basis. Keeping your child home as much as you can to prevent exposure. Not letting anyone smoke around your baby.
While it is so hard as a parent to fully keep your child healthy, we have to try to do what we can. No one is completely immune, but those babies who are born premature should be watched after just a little more carefully. Babies and kids are so precious and worth the time that we spend taking care of them. Learn more from the RSVProtection.com site.
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